'Joy of writing' helps Monica Seles move on from past trauma

By Piers Edwards, for CNN

Updated 8:42 AM ET, Tue June 11, 2013

Monica Seles' highs and lows8 photos

Sweet 16 – Monica Seles' career began in breathtaking fashion. In 1990, aged just 16 years and six months, the Yugoslavia-born starlet beat Steffi Graf to become the youngest French Open singles champion. After winning the year-end championships, Seles finished the season ranked No. 2 in the world.

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Dominant Down Under – Seles followed up her victory in Paris with success at the first grand slam of 1991, beating Jana Novotna to win the Australian Open final in January before replacing Graf at the top of the world rankings in March. Seles then defended her Roland Garros crown before beating Martina Navratilova to clinch the U.S. Open.

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Stabbed in the back – Seles defended all three of her grand slam titles in 1992, and lost in the final at Wimbledon. She then won the Australian Open for the third time in a row, but the defining moment of her career arrived at the 1993 Hamburg Masters, when a man later identified as an obsessive fan of Graf ran onto the court and stabbed her in the back. Her injuries healed within weeks, but Seles was out of the sport for over two years.

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Canadian comeback – Seles finally returned to the WTA Tour in August 1995, coming back with a bang as she beat Amanda Coetzer in the final of the Canadian Open.

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To the four – In 1996 Seles enjoyed a fourth Australian Open win, defeating Anke Huber in the final. But it would prove to be her final grand slam title as she struggled to regain the form she displayed before the attack, as she suffered weight problems.

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A career curtailed – A foot injury forced Seles out of what would prove to be the final Tour match of her career at the 2003 Italian Open.

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A meeting with Martina – New Zealand played host to two exhibition matches between Seles and Martina Navratilova in 2005. Despite losing both matches, Seles announced her intention to return to competitive action in 2006. The comeback, however, never happened.

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Ceremonial duties – Seles was back at Roland Garros in 2012, when she presented the winner's trophy to Maria Sharapova after the Russian defeated Sara Errani of Italy.

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Story highlights

Monica Seles is moving on to a new stage of her life after co-authoring a fiction novel

The former tennis star says the writing process "has been a great joy"

Book is set in a tennis academy, mirroring the 39-year-old's early days in the sport

She was a teen prodigy but her career was wrecked by an-court stabbing attack

She spent her teenage years ruling the tennis world, and now Monica Seles is hoping her world of tennis can rule today's teenagers.

From becoming the youngest grand slam champion to having her career shattered by a traumatic stabbing attack, then battling related weight problems before losing her father and coach to cancer, the 39-year-old has plenty of life experience to draw on for her latest project.

"I am old enough now to know that life throws different curveballs and it's about how you handle them," she told CNN's World Sport.

"I try to handle them as best I can."

Long retired from the top level, the former world No. 1 has followed up her autobiography by co-authoring a fictional book on life at a tennis academy.

The main character of "The Academy: Game On" gained her entry to an elite tennis school by virtue of a scholarship, just as the eventual winner of nine grand slams did herself as a 12-year-old.

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Five years of training at Nick Bollettieri's famous academy in Florida turned the slender young Seles into the 1990 French Open champion at the tender age of 16 years and six months, and at 17 she became the youngest No. 1.

Those records have since been broken by Martina Hingis but the fact remains that Seles -- who then represented Yugoslavia but who has since taken American citizenship -- was a prodigy whose equal the world had never seen before.

Still the youngest winner at Roland Garros, she added the Australian and U.S. Open titles to her CV in 1991 -- and is now in no doubt as to what drove her to the top.

"I had an absolutely great time co-writing the book (with James LaRosa)," Seles said.

"The main character, Maya, had a way to get into the academies, which is the same way I did -- on a scholarship. And as I always said in the book, there are two ways to get into an academy -- money or talent -- but at the end of the day talent always wins."

There can be no doubt that her ability, coupled with a fierce mental dedication, propelled Seles to the very top but her career was tragically derailed in circumstances that were unimaginable until they actually happened.

A little over 20 years ago -- on April 30, 1993 -- Seles was playing a routine match in Hamburg when a deranged fan leaped over the advertising hoardings and plunged a knife into her back as she sat on her chair during a changeover.

It soon emerged that the German assailant, one Gunter Parche, was a devoted fan of former world No. 1 Steffi Graf who carried out the attack in a bid to return his compatriot to the top of the rankings -- which did come to pass, but clearly for the very worst of reasons.

Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final 17 photos

Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final17 photos

The French Open: Men's singles final – Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after winning match point against David Ferrer of Spain during the men's singles final match of the French Open at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, on Sunday, June 9. Nadal won 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal poses for photos with the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal celebrates.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal plays a forehand against Ferrer.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal plays a forehand to Ferrer.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer serves to Nadal.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – A protester runs onto the court with a lit flare during the match.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Protesters light flares and unfurl a banner which calls for the French President Francois Hollande's resignation on the top of Court Suzanne Lenglen as Nadal and Ferrer compete.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer returns a shot to Nadal.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal serves to Ferrer.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal serves to Ferrer.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer plays a forehand to Nadal.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer returns a shot to Nadal.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal prepares to serve to Ferrer.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal plays a backhand against Ferrer.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer plays a forehand against Nadal.

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The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal returns to Ferrer.

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Photos: The French Open: Women's singles final 12 photos

Photos: The French Open: Women's singles final12 photos

The French Open: Women's singles final – Serena Williams of the United States celebrates match point against Maria Sharapova of Russia during their women's singles final match of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Saturday, June 8. Williams won 6-4, 6-4.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Williams celebrates with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen trophy following her victory.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Sharapova serves to Williams.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Williams plays a forehand against Sharapova.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Sharapova serves to Williams.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Sharapova serves against Williams.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Williams returns a shot to Sharapova.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Sharapova returns to Williams.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Sharapova serves to Williams.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Williams reacts after a point against Sharapova during their match.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Williams returns a shot to Sharapova.

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The French Open: Women's singles final – Tennis fans watch the big screen outside Court Suzanne Lenglen in Paris before the match between Williams and Sharapova.

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The French Open: Best photos 164 photos

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after getting match point against David Ferrer of Spain during the men's singles final match of the French Open at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, on Sunday, June 9. Nadal won 6-3, 6-2, 6-3

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The French Open: Best photos – Nadal poses for photos with the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy.

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The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Rafael Nadal serves to Spain's David Ferrer during the men's singles final match of the French Open at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris on Sunday, June 9.

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The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer plays a forehand to Nadal on June 9.

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The French Open: Best photos – Serena Williams of the United States celebrates match point against Maria Sharapova of Russia during their women's singles final match of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Saturday, June 8. Williams won 6-4, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Williams celebrates with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen trophy following her victory on June 8.

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The French Open: Best photos – Williams returns a shot to Sharapova on June 8.

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The French Open: Best photos – Sharapova returns to Williams on June 8.

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The French Open: Best photos – Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan pose with the trophy after winning the men's doubles final against Michael Llorda and Nicolas Mahut of France on June 8. The twins won 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(4).

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The French Open: Best photos – Michael Llorda consoles Nicolas Mahut after their defeat in the men's doubles final on June 8.

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The French Open: Best photos – Bob, right, and Mike Bryan celebrate the match point.

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The French Open: Best photos – Mike Bryan plays a forehand as his brother, Bob, looks on.

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The French Open: Best photos – Mahut plays a forehand as his partner Llorda stands ready in the men's doubles final match.

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The French Open: Best photos – David Ferrer of Spain celebrates after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France at the French Open at Roland Garros on Friday, June 7. Ferrer won 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2 . Click through to see more tennis action.

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The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer returns to Tsonga on June 7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Tsonga reaches to hit a return to Ferrer on June 7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer in action against Tsonga on June 7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Tsonga serves to Ferrer on June 7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer plays a forehand to Tsonga on June 7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Serbia's Novak Djokovic during a French Open semifinal match in Paris on June 7. Nadal won 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3), 9-7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Djokovic returns a shot to Nadal on June 7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Nadal returns to Djokovic on June 7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Djokovic plays a forehand against Nadal on June 7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Nadal, left, and Djokovic change sides during their June 7 match.

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The French Open: Best photos – Umpire Pascal Maria checks a line call with Djokovic on June 7.

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The French Open: Best photos – Serena Williams of the United States reacts after a point against Italy's Sara Errani during their French Open semifinal match on Thursday, June 6. Williams beat Errani 6-0, 6-1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Sara Errani of Italy plays a forehand against Serena Williams on June 6.

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The French Open: Best photos – Maria Sharapova of Russia serves to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during their semifinal match of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, on June 6.

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The French Open: Best photos – Sharapova serves to Azarenka on June 6.

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The French Open: Best photos – Brothers Mike, left, and Bob Bryan of the United States wait for a return from Alexander Peya of Austria and Bruno Soares of Brazil on June 6.

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The French Open: Best photos – A court attendant covers the center court as rain falls over the Roland Garros stadium on June 6. The rain interrupted the semifinal match between Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka.

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The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Maria Kirilenko serves to Belarus' Victoria Azarenka during their quarterfinal match at the French Open at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Wednesday, June 5. Azarenka beat Kirilenko 7-6(3), 6-2.

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The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Maria Sharapova exchanges a ball before serving to Serbia's Jelena Jankovic on June 5. Sharapova won 0-6, 6-4, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Tommy Haas of Germany serves during his quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia on June 5.

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The French Open: Best photos – Azarenka celebrates after defeating Kirilenko.

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The French Open: Best photos – Rafael Nadal of Spain serves against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland on June 5.

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The French Open: Best photos – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France and Roger Federer of Switzerland face off at Philippe Chatrier court during their quarterfinal match on day 10 of the French Open on Tuesday, June 4, in Paris. Tsonga won 7-5, 6-3, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Tsonga celebrates his victory over Federer on June 4 as he advances to the semifinals.

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The French Open: Best photos – Federer plays a backhand to Tsonga during the match on June 4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Serena Williams of the U.S. celebrates a point during her win over Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia during the women's singles quarter-final match June 4. Williams defeated Kuznetsova 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Kuznetsova, right, reacts after losing a point to Williams during the quarterfinal match June 4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Williams serves to Kuznetsova on June 4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Kuznetsova returns a forehand to Williams during the match on June 4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Tommy Robredo returns to Spain's David Ferrer on June 4. Ferrer defeated Robredo 6-2, 6-1, 6-1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer plays a return to Robredo during the quarter final match.

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The French Open: Best photos – Oksana Kalashnikova of Georgia serves in her women's doubles match with Alicja Rosolska of Poland against Kristina Mlandenovic of France and Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan on June 4. Mladenovic and Voskoboeva won 6-1, 6-1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Sara Errani of Italy hits a return to Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland during a quarter final match on June 4. Errani defeated Agnieszka 6-4, 7-6 (6).

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The French Open: Best photos – Richard Gasquet of France hits a return to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka during a match on Monday, June 3.

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The French Open: Best photos – USA's Sloane Stephens plays a forehand during her match against Russia's Maria Sharapova on June 3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Maria Sharapova celebrates her victory over USA's Sloane Stephens at the end of their round of sixteen match on June 3. Sharapova defeated Stephens 6-4, 6-3.

The French Open: Best photos – Sweat runs down the face of Spain's Rafael Nadal during his match against Japan's Kei Nishikori at the French Open on Monday, June 3, in Paris.

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The French Open: Best photos – Nadal serves to Nishikori during their match on June 3. Nadal defeated Nishikori 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Victoria Azarenka of Belarus returns a forehand in her match against Francesca Schiavone of Italy on June 3. Azarenka defeated Schiavone 6-3, 6-0.

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The French Open: Best photos – Serbia's Novak Djokovic dives for a backhand during his match against Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber on June 3.

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The French Open: Best photos – During a round of 16 match on June 3, the United States' Bethanie Mattek-Sands hits a return to Russia's Maria Kirilenko.

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The French Open: Best photos – Sunny skies continue on the ninth day of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3 in Paris.

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The French Open: Best photos – Djokovic celebrates match point against Kohlschreiber on June 3. Djokovic defeated Kohlschreiber 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Kirilenko celebrates after beating Mattek-Sands on June 3. Kirilenko defeated Mattek-Sands 7-5, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – After winning a second set against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka, France's Richard Gasquet celebrates at the French Open on June 3.

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The French Open: Best photos – The shadow of a plane-shaped camera appears on the court as Djokovic waits for a serve from Kohlschreiber on June 3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Switzerland's Roger Federer serves to Gilles Simon of France during a fourth-round match of the French Open on Sunday, June 2, in Paris. Federer defeated Simon 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Sara Errani of Italy celebrates match point in her match against Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain on June 2. Errani won 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

The French Open: Best photos – Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska serves to Serbia's Ana Ivanovic on June 2. Radwanska won 6-2, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Serena Williams of the United States serves to Italy's Roberta Vinci during a 4th-round match of the French Open on Sunday, June 2, in Paris. Williams beat Vinci 6-1, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Vinci hits a return to Williams on June 2.

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The French Open: Best photos – The crowd watches Williams and Vinci play on June 2.

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The French Open: Best photos – Spain's David Ferrer returns to South Africa's Kevin Anderson on June 2. Ferrer won 6-3, 6-1, 6-1.

The French Open: Best photos – Germany's Angelique Kerber reacts after a point against Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova on June 2. Kuznetsova defeated Kerber 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Kuznetsova hits a backhand during her match against Kerber on June 2.

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The French Open: Best photos – Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov on the seventh day of the French Open on Saturday, June 1. Djokovic won 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Dimitrov plays a forehand to Djokovic.

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The French Open: Best photos – A ball boy holds a ball during a third round match a on June 1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Rafael Nadal returns to Italy's Fabio Fognini on June 1. Nadal took the match 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Nikolay Davydenko reaches to hit a return to France's Richard Gasquet on June 1. Gasquet won 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 .

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The French Open: Best photos – Ball boys and ball girls take a break during the tournament on June 1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Samantha Stosur of Australia serves in a Women's Singles match against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia on June 1. Jankovic defeated Stosur 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to Fabio Fognini of Italy on June 1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia plays a forehand during the Women's Doubles match with Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu against U.S.'s Varvara Lepchenko of America and China's Saisai Zheng. Lepchenko and Jurak defeated Rybarikova and Begu 3-6 7-6(9) 6-3 .

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The French Open: Best photos – France's Benoit Paire hands over a broken racket during his third round match against Japan's Kei Nishikori on June 1. Nishikori defeated Paire 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Nishikori serves to Paire during the third round match on June 1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Paire plays a forehand to Nishikori.

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The French Open: Best photos – Marina Erakovic of New Zealand celebrates a point in her women's singles match against Sloane Stephens of the United States on June 1. Stephens beat Erakovic 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Maria Sharapova serves to China's Jie Zheng during the third round match June 1. Sharapova won 6-1, 7-5.

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The French Open: Best photos – Sloane Stephens of the United States returns a shot to New Zealand's Marina Erakovic on June 1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Francesca Schiavone of Italy plays a backhand against Marion Bartoli of France on June 1. Schiavone won 6-2, 6-1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Victoria Azarenka of Belarus returns a forehand in her women's singles match against Alize Cornet of France on June 1. Azarenka defeated Cornet 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

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The French Open: Best photos – France's Jeremy Chardy stretches to hit the ball against France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during their third-round match at the French Open at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Friday, May 31. Tsonga beat Chardy 6-1, 6-2, 7-5.

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The French Open: Best photos – Casey Dellacqua, right, and Ashleigh Barty of Australia prepare to receive a serve on May 31. The pair lost to Mona Barthel of Germany and Liga Dermeijere of Latvia 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Roger Federer of Switzerland plays a backhand against Julien Benneteau of France on May 31. Federer won 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.

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The French Open: Best photos – Angelique Kerber of Germany returns to Varvara Lepchenko of the United States on May 31. Kerber won 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-4.

The French Open: Best photos – Young fans watch Elina Svitolina of Ukraine during her match against Varvara Lepchenko of the United States on May 29.

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The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Elena Vesnina keeps track of the ball during her match against Belarus' Victoria Azarenka on May 29. Azarenka beat Vesnina 6-1, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Feliciano Lopez serves to Portugal's Joao Sousa on May 29. Lopez won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Croatia's Marin Cilic hits a backhand shot to Australia's Nick Kyrgios on May 29. Cilic won 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

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The French Open: Best photos – Belarus' Victoria Azarenka serves to Russia's Elena Vesnina on May 29.

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The French Open: Best photos – Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a forehand against David Goffin of Belgium during day three of the French Open at Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Tuesday, May 28. Djokovic defeated Goffin 7-6(5), 6-4, 7-5.

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The French Open: Best photos – Jack Sock of the United States celebrates beating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 on May 28.

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The French Open: Best photos – Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova hits a forehand shot to Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko during the first round match on May 28. Cibulkova won 6-1, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Kristina Mladenovic of France celebrates a point in her women's singles match against Lauren Davis of the United States on May 28. Mladenovic won 6-0, 7-5.

The French Open: Best photos – Belgium's David Goffin hits a forehand to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during a first round match of the French Open at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris on Tuesday, May 28.

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The French Open: Best photos – France's Marion Bartoli warms up during her match against Belarus' Olga Govortsova on May 28.

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The French Open: Best photos – Djokovic serves to Goffin during their first round match on May 28.

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The French Open: Best photos – France's Alize Cornet returns to Portugal's Maria Joao Koehler during their first round match on May 28.

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The French Open: Best photos – Rain causes delays on the third day of the French Open in Paris, on May 28, as a covering tries to keep the Philippe Chatrier central court at Roland Garros stadium dry.

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The French Open: Best photos – Employees remove water from a tarpaulin covering the Philippe Chatrier central court on May 28.

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The French Open: Best photos – France's Gael Monfils stretches for a shot against Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych during the first round of the French Open on Monday, May 27, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. Monfils defeated Berdych 7-6(8), 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5.

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The French Open: Best photos – Rafael Nadal of Spain and Daniel Brands of Germany face off in the first round singles match on May 27. Nadal defeated Brands 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – After losing the first set to Brands, Nadal went on to win the match and move on to the second round.

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The French Open: Best photos – Richard Gasquet of France serves to Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine during day two of the French Open on May 27. Gasquet won the match 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky takes a picture with his smartphone on May 27 of a mark on the clay. Stakhovsky believed the shot to be in, but the chair umpire disagreed.

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The French Open: Best photos – Sloane Stephens, of the U.S., returns a shot to Italy's Karin Knapp during the women's singles match May 27. Stephens won 6-2, 7-5.

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The French Open: Best photos – France's Julien Benneteau argues with a referee about a line call during his first round match against Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis on May 27. Benneteau defeated Berankis 7-6(5), 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5).

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The French Open: Best photos – Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of Czech Republic covers her face during a break in the match against Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia on May 27. Strycova lost to Jovanovski 6-3, 6-2.

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The French Open: Best photos – Angelique Kerber of Germany plays a backhand against Mona Barthel of Germany during day two of the French Open on May 27. Kerber won the match 7-6(6), 6-2.

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The French Open: Best photos – Nick Kyrgios of Australia serves to Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic on May 27. Kyrgios advances by winning 7-6(4), 7-6(8), 7-6(11).

The French Open: Best photos – Michael Llodra of France serves against Steve Darcis of Belgium on May 26. Llordra won 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

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The French Open: Best photos – Darcis makes a forehand swing against Llodra on May 26.

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The French Open: Best photos – Sara Errani of Italy serves against Arantxa Rus of Netherlands on May 26. Errani won 6-2, 6-1.

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The French Open: Best photos – Rus serves to Errani on May 26.

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The French Open: Best photos – Ana Ivanovic of Serbia plays against Petra Martic of Croatia on May 26. Ivonovic won 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

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The French Open: Best photos – Martic returns a shot to Ivanovic on May 26.

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The French Open: Best photos – Gilles Simon of France reaches to make a forehand return against Lleyton Hewitt of Australia on May 26. Simon won 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-5.

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EXPAND GALLERY

The knife sunk one and a half inches into Seles' upper left back, and though the wounds took a few months to heal the psychological impact left far deeper scars -- as the former teenage prodigy readily admits.

It would be over two years before Seles returned to the tour but with her father Karoly, who was also her coach, suffering from a cancer that would eventually take his life in 1998, the youngster's weight ballooned as she sought solace for her troubles in binge eating.

She was never the same player again -- and her 2009 autobiography "Getting a Grip" gives a fascinating into the knock-on effects of Pache's attack.

"According to a psychiatric evaluation ... he stated that I was not 'pretty. Women shouldn't be as thin as a bone,' " she wrote after her retirement, which came five years after her last official tour match.

"I wonder now just how much his words haunted my recovery. An integral part of my rehab revolved around cardio sessions. But I started finding excuses for avoiding the treadmill.

"Darkness had descended into my head. No matter how many ways I analyzed my situation, I couldn't find a bright side.

"Food became the only way to silence my demons. I'd walk into the kitchen, grab a bag of crisps and a bowl of chocolate ice cream, then head to the couch and eat in front of the television.

"I still don't know why my anguish found solace in food. Maybe I was subconsciously reacting to Parche's angry comment that 'women shouldn't be as thin as a bone.' If I padded myself with extra weight, I'd be protected from being hurt again."

Returning to the sport in August 1995, Seles would go on to win another grand slam -- the Australian Open in 1996 -- but even that glory was tainted.

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Having gone from a size eight to 18, her ballooning weight prompted such self-consciousness that she wanted to be out of the limelight as soon as possible, spending the awards ceremony in Melbourne "thinking about getting off the court and hiding in my tracksuit."

It was to be Seles' last major title and the eating disorder sparked by Parche's savage attack continued to plague her until she played her last competitive match in 2003, as the girl who once had the world at her fingertips slipped into the shadows.

"To be thrown into the limelight at the age of 16, being No. 1 in the world and yet struggling to be a teenager is not an easy thing," she told CNN.

"Then at 19, to get stabbed and have my career stopped for two and a half years, decide to come back and then lose my coach/best friend/dad, I've had a lot of lows and highs -- but at the end of the day that is what life is about.

"And it's just really about living in the present."

Which is what Seles has been doing, having appeared in the popular "Dancing with the Stars" TV program in 2008 and now hoping to continue her career as a novelist with sequels planned to follow the publication of "The Academy: Game On."

Fittingly, given the subject matter of her book, her writing began on the tennis circuit as she sought an escape from the monotony of endless traveling to tournaments.

"On the downtime during rain delays and traveling, I wrote a lot," she said. "In tennis, everything is about hitting that yellow ball and being really focused on it -- but writing 'Game On' was just so much fun as I got to use my imagination.